Tequila is made from the blue agave plant, specifically from the heart of the plant called the piña. This plant primarily grows in the region around the city of Tequila in the state of Jalisco, Mexico, as well as some other limited municipalities. The blue agave takes about 8 to 10 years to mature before it is harvested by hand. The process involves cooking the piñas (hearts of the blue agave) either in traditional ovens or steam-pressure cookers to convert the complex carbohydrates into fermentable sugars. After cooking, the piñas are shredded or crushed to extract the sweet juice, which is then fermented with yeast for a few weeks. Following fermentation, the liquid is distilled at least twice to produce tequila with an alcohol content typically around 40%. By Mexican law, tequila must be made from at least 51% blue agave sugars, with 100% blue agave tequila labeled as such. The rest of the sugars can come from other sources like sugar cane in mixto tequilas. The resulting product can be bottled as clear "silver" tequila or aged in wooden barrels to develop different flavors and colors. In summary, tequila is distilled from the fermented juice of the cooked blue agave plant's heart (piña) and is carefully regulated in its production and origin to maintain its authenticity and quality.
